


That One Cadet

by Teavat



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake - Fandom
Genre: Bad Flirting, Gen, Swearing, and he wants everyone to know it, angeal is long-suffering and also covertly a bit of a shit, even zack has his limits, jealous wine aunt genesis, roche rocks the shinra tower, sephiroth understands more than he lets on, takes place mostly before the events of crisis core
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23654845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teavat/pseuds/Teavat
Summary: ”He is a menace,” Genesis announced, throwing himself onto Angeal’s couch. Angeal could only see his legs, which stuck out over the armrest. An index finger rose above the back and pointed at the ceiling. ”He is a menace, and I should have him arrested and thrown out of the tower, preferably at the level of the SOLDIER floor."
Comments: 18
Kudos: 120





	That One Cadet

**Author's Note:**

> I watched six hours of Gab Smolders’ Let’s Play of the FFVII Remake on Youtube, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what would have happened if the other SOLDIER boys had met Roche while he was still a cadet.

A couple of weeks after they received their newest batch of recruits, Genesis began to croon about the cadets. Or, more accurately, about one particular cadet. A cadet that was, apparently, a bright and interesting spot in a sea of grey dullards, a curious and shiny nugget that was impossible for him to stop poking at. Sometimes his friend reminded Angeal of a magpie.

Angeal clicked his approvals on a list of mission allocations, one after the other, while he listened with one ear and made non-committal noises. He only really started to pay attention when Genesis began adding unnecessary detail to his speculations on fraternization within the ranks.

”You do remember that playing favourites with your underlings is unconscionable,” Sephiroth observed from the side desk he had commandeered for his own paperwork. Why he hadn’t let Lazard assign him a new office after he went up a rank had never become quite clear to Angeal, but the company was welcome. ”I’ve been led to understand that the power differential can sometimes be titillating,” Sephiroth continued mildly, ”but if you absolutely must fraternize, you should at least constrain yourself to your peers.”

Genesis huffed and rearranged himself in the office chair into what he had once described to Angeal as an ’artfully casual lounge’. ”Easier said than done, my dear friend, seeing how the only peers I have are in this very room.”

”Technically I am your commanding officer,” Sephiroth said to his laptop.

”Which, if I am to follow your sage advice and avoid the perils of titillation, leaves me with Angeal. You must see my conundrum.”

”Can’t say that I do.”

Neither of them saw Angeal roll his eyes and make a face.

-

Then came the day their fresh cadets received their first advanced materia instructions from their magic-oriented Commander. Half an hour after the class ended, Genesis barged into Angeal’s flat without knocking. The tips of his hair were singed and there was a proverbial thundercloud hovering over him.

”He's a _menace_ ,” he announced without preamble, throwing himself onto Angeal’s couch. Angeal could only see his legs, which stuck out over the armrest. An index finger rose above the back and pointed at the ceiling. ”He is a menace, and I should have him arrested and thrown out of the tower. Preferably at the level of the SOLDIER floor. If he still moves after that, I should also make sure that he’s permanently banished from the city proper, and possibly from the entire continent.”

”You don’t think you might be overreacting a little?” Angeal paused to consider the ingredients he was piling into a pot. ”Last week you were hinting that you might soon be outshining me as a mentor.”

”Fate has graciously spared me from making such a grievous error. Had I committed to such a thing, I would have sunk into ignomy and disgrace and would have had to throw _myself_ off the building.”

”You’re exaggerating, Gen. It can’t be that bad.”

”You poor fool,” Genesis said. ”You poor, innocent fool. When your time comes, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

”If it makes you happy, I promise I won’t. Anyway, dinner will be done in twenty, you might want to go clean up a bit.”

Genesis snorted. ”Why, pray tell, would I want to clean up? Is my wearied and embattled countenance proving unpalatable to your delicate sensibilities?”

Angeal almost laughed, but he managed to bite it off just in time. Gen’s melodramatic streak didn’t need additional encouragement. ”Sephiroth’s coming.”

”No, he’s not. He’s shipping out before dawn and he hardly ever comes even when he has ample time.”

”He’s coming this time. He said, and I quote, that he ’would appreciate a good meal before he has to subsist on field rations and mud for two weeks’.”

”Sephiroth is coming to dinner.”

”Yes, Genesis.”

”I see.” In a heartbeat, Genesis was off the couch and out of the door.

Angeal chuckled and shook his head.

Then Genesis stuck his head back in. ”Are you making leftovers casserole? Don’t tell me you’re making leftovers casserole when Sephiroth is coming over.”

”He likes leftovers casserole.”

”You’re both incurable plebes and I despair of you. Do you at least have a proper wine to go with it? No, what am I saying – of course you don’t. I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere!” Genesis slammed the door shut.

”Don’t bring that dry white you brought last time,” Angeal shouted. ”It was terrible!”

”The proletariat has bad taste!” Genesis yelled back through the door. Five minutes later, he opened it and stuck his head in again. ”Have you made dessert? I could still order us something. There’s a place on Fifth Avenue that makes these superb little _éclairs_ —”

”Go finish your haircut, Gen. You’re lopsided.”

-

”What happened to your hair?” Sephiroth asked after taking his second helping. He wasn’t usually very observant about details in other people’s personal appearances, but even he seemed to have cottoned on to the fact that Genesis’ attempt to twirl his locks around his fingers kept failing because they had suddenly lost fifteen centimetres in length.

”Just a minor irritant that, should it make itself bothersome again, will be defenestrated with extreme prejudice.”

Angeal choked on his drink. At least it was a fizzy apple one this time.

-

Angeal met Genesis’ menace-slash-minor-irritant a week later, when it fell on him to assess the cadet cohort in close-range combat skills and assign them with individual training schedules. Looking at the plucky little cadet, he wasn’t sure what Genesis’ problem was. The boy was cocky and had a habit of unsolicited bragging, but there was something almost endearing about it. He actually reminded Angeal a little of Zack.

An inflated sense of self-importance and an excess of eagerness were nothing that experience and self-discipline wouldn’t fix. Genesis was probably just irritated that the cadet wasn’t in what he considered ’proper awe’ of him. Sometimes he just lacked patience with people.

That evaluation lasted precisely thirteen minutes into the first practical skills session.

-

”He’s decent in hand-to-hand combat and adapts quickly to change, but other than that, he’s a walking disaster! I know last year’s recruitment campaign said we were looking for ’outstanding candidates’, but this is _not_ what that meant. I don’t think I’ve _ever_ seen a cadet with less ability to work in a group or assign priority to his actions. I swear I will never complain about Zack’s attention issues again.”

Angeal had arrived at Genesis’ flat ten minutes ago, and he had not paused in his tirade once. After his initial outburst, which involved waving arms and even one moment of pulling on his own hair, he had at least deigned to sit down.

”He is entirely unsuited to military life, Gen," Angeal continued. "Who the hell assessed this kid and decided he should be given the capacity to wreck things up even more than he already can? They should have their head examined.” He started to get up. ”I’m going to take a look at the spring roster and find out who okayed him.”

”Sit down, Angeal.” Genesis grabbed his arm and yanked him back onto his ass. ”You know they don’t do psych profiles until you're ranked. He tested adequate in mako receptivity and above average in endurance and reflexes, and that was enough.”

”I know, Gen. I know.” Angeal put a hand over his eyes. Below it, his mouth twisted into a grimace. ”You were right. I should have listened to you, but I didn't. I had him today, and I didn’t watch him, and in less than fifteen minutes, he left two other cadets with a broken limb, gave three others crush injuries, and wrapped a motorcycle around a steel post. Yet somehow there were barely two scratches on him when I picked him out of the wreckage. His explanation for what he had done was to ask why the others didn’t get out of the way. Then he called himself a _speed demon_ and gave himself a round of applause.”

”You have to admit that is pretty outstanding.”

Angeal lifted his face out of his hand and looked at him incredulously. ”Are you defending him?”

”No, I’m laughing at you because you dismissed me when I bitched about him before.” Genesis patted him comfortingly on the shoulder. ”Never fear. He’ll wash out in a few months and then we can think back on this and laugh whimsically about it.”

”Gods, I hope you’re right. That cadet does not belong in the SOLDIER program. He doesn’t belong _in an organisation_. He flouts the rules and shows no concern for his comrades. He has no teamwork skills, no sense of responsibility, no discipline and _no_ _honour_.”

”But he certainly does have a dream.”

The look that Angeal shot him made Genesis wish he had a camera at hand. No one ever believed him when he told them that Angeal was capable of making an expression filled with pure venom.

-

”I like that guy,” Zack declared, after bounding up to Angeal in the hallway and starting a discussion about the menace cadet. ”He’s fun! Can I take him on a mission with me? I’ve got one lined up that’s just minor monsters in the city outskirts. It’s not too dangerous for a cadet.”

Angeal could feel a headache coming. He drew a deep breath. ”I don’t think that’s a good idea, Zack.”

”Come on, you’re always saying how I need to practice my leadership skills more, and that the best way to learn something is by doing it.”

”Well, I do, but—”

” _Pleeeeeaaaaaase?_ I promise I’ll be totally responsible about it and look out for him and everything!”

”All right, then,” Angeal said, against his better judgment. He caved under the force of Zack’s puppy dog expression much more often than he liked people knowing about. ”If you insist.” He interrupted Zack’s impromptu victory dance in a firmer tone. ”On one condition: leave the outskirts mission for now and go clean out that pest problem in the Sector 8 housing construction site instead.”

”Aw, Angeal! That’s boring grunt work!”

”That’s the offer, Zack. Take it or leave it.”

-

Zack came back covered in rat guts, sporting a fresh black eye and a betrayed look. ”You knew,” he said accusingly. ”You _knew_.”

”Being in command does sometimes involve dealing with unruly subordinates,” Angeal replied placidly. ”Did you turn in your report yet? I expect it to have an extra section on what you learned about leadership.”

”You are the _worst_ ,” Zack says and stomps off towards the showers.

-

”Angeal, may I have a moment of your time?”

Angeal looked up from the weekly department mail he had been typing up. Sephiroth was arranging the papers in his hands and frowning at them. He wasn't really doing anything out of the ordinary, but at the same time he projected uncharacteristic hesitance.

He remembered looking at the day’s itinerary that morning. According to it, the new cadets had their introduction to sword combat today. Oh no. ”Did something come up with the class earlier?” he asked with almost morbid curiosity.

Sephiroth nodded. ”Indeed, something did. I may need your advice on a... slightly delicate matter.”

-

”The cadets had a lesson with Sephiroth today,” Angeal remarked.

”Oooh,” Genesis said far too eagerly. ”Is the obnoxious one dead? Tell me the gruesome details of his demise.” He was lying on Angeal’s couch again. He had planted himself there after he wandered in with a book and a glass of wine, and failed to wander back out again.

”No, he’s not dead.” Angeal eyed Genesis disapprovingly. ”In fact, it seems like he’s taken something of a shine to our General.”

Genesis waved the wine glass dismissively at him. The liquid in it sloshed dangerously. ”Everyone takes a shine to our General. It’s practically what he’s _for_. That’s hardly noteworthy, Ange.”

”Don’t spill that on my carpet, Gen. I’m warning you.”

”It came out in the dry cleaning last time. Don’t be such a whiny bitch.”

-

They were standing in the lobby, discussing Lazard’s harried explanation of Heidegger’s latest attempt to step on everybody else’s toes, when the cadet walked up to them. Not just any cadet, but _that one cadet_. Angeal thought he managed to keep his face screwed on straight, but internally he cringed. ”Can we help you?”

”Oh no, sir, I just saw you two standing here and thought I’d come over to say hi,” the boy said with a grin. ”It isn’t every day that one gets to bask in the presence of all this shiny brass.”

”It must be quite an experience for you, being able meet your idols in the flesh,” Genesis replied delicately with what Angeal thought was an exemplary show of forbearance. Sometimes he didn’t give Gen enough credit. ”Your admiration is... appreciated.”

”Thanks, but I’m actually more into _silver_ than brass.” The cadet winked at them. ”A guy’s gotta keep his standards up, you know?” Then he eyed Gen up and down and waggled his eyebrows. ”Though you’re certainly very nice in your own right, sir, if you’re offering.”

-

”I will stuff him in a trash chute and incinerate the whole thing!” Gen screeched as soon as Angeal had closed the soundproof gym door. He pulled a large, crackling fireball out of thin air and hurled it at the unfortunate line of training dummies. ”I swear to the Goddess that I will!”

-

”Angeal,” Sephiroth said. ”A moment of your time, again?”

”Yeah?” Angeal replied with a sinking feeling.

-

”Cadet,” Angeal said sharply when he found the boy loitering alone in the common area. ”I will have a word.”

The menace turned and did a sloppy salute. ”Hello sir. To what do I owe the immense pleasure of your company?”

”Knock it off. I’m here to give you a formal warning. General Sephiroth requests that you desist with your attempts to take up his time.”

”Well, if the General finds me such a bother,” the boy drawled, ”then why isn’t he telling me this himself?”

Sephiroth’s disconcerted expression floated to Angeal’s mind. He resorted to his most hard-ass tone, the one he used only when he wanted someone to know that he was extremely disappointed. He had been informed that it had once brought a grizzled veteran to tears. ”Because the matter has been brought to my attention and I’m the one in charge of discipline around here. You will cease treating this like a joke, and you _will_ comply, cadet. Otherwise there will be disciplinary action.”

The cadet tilted his hips to the side and brought his hand daintily up to his brow. ”Sir yes sir! Please administer discipline on me. I’m certain that with proper punishment, you can make me see the light.”

-

”If we melt down the whole trash chute and tell maintenance it was a summon missfire, do you think we would get away with it?”

Genesis sat up so abruptly that his feet thumped onto the ground. ”Why Ange,” he said, smiling like a hungry drake, ”I didn’t know you had it in you. What happened?”

”I had to discipline him and he backtalked.”

”Oh my. What did you make him do?”

”I made him scrub the showers. And then I had to send a Second to watch him.” Angeal buried his face in his hands. ”Because he said it would give him _opportunities_.”

-

Sometimes, in the Lifestream, the wisps that had once made up Angeal Hewley drifted back together and recalled who they had been. During those moments, they thought nostalgically back on the bits and pieces of his life that they could remember, and on the things that had mattered to him while he lived. Occasionally, what had once been Angeal was even able to peer through the veil that separated the dead from the living to see what had become of those things. It was hard to concentrate on just one place and just one time, but having a focal point helped. Sometimes that point was Genesis, slumbering like the supremely hung over, deep beneath Midgar. At other times it was what little remained of Sephiroth, cold and unreachable at the core of an old and festering wound. But most often it was the battered little infantryman who carried with him the remnants of Angeal’s honour, the tainted essence of Angeal’s friend, and the bright memories of Angeal’s beloved student.

Though this time he really wishes that he hadn’t looked. Zack’s little friend is fighting a SOLDIER. A vaguely familiar-looking, bike-riding SOLDIER, who is cackling like a moron, slamming his ride into friend and foe alike, and throwing out one incredibly bad line after another, like he can’t decide whether he wants to fight or to fuck.

Someone gave that guy a rank. Someone gave that guy a mako infusion and a sword and a bike, and then rather than sealing him in a tank-proof room, which would have been the reasonable thing to do, turned him loose instead.

 _Did you do this, Zack?_ he thinks at nothing in particular.

After a moment, a scattered and affronted _hell no_ drifts back at him.

Having seen more than enough, Angeal turns his attention away from the living world. He had assumed that he was long past caring about what became of SOLDIER, but when he had thought that, what he had assumed would be involved was _a den of monsters_ , not _SOLDIER 3rd Class Roche_.

**Author's Note:**

> I like to think that a bit of the annoyance Cloud feels towards Roche when they meet is spillover from a certain restless spirit that likes to hang out in the vicinity of the Buster Sword and can’t quite believe what it’s seeing.


End file.
